1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an improved door handle which automatically sanitizes itself by means of germicidal light rays.
Particularly, this invention relates to door handles used in public restrooms or other public buildings.
2. Description Of Background Art
Door handles for public restrooms and other public places are repeatedly contacted by persons entering and exiting such places. While many patrons are careful about personal hygiene, some inevitably use less than adequate care to wash their hands. Since both careful and careless persons must contact the handle of the door upon leaving the restroom, germs deposited by careless users of such facilities may be transmitted to subsequent users.
Periodic cleaning of the door handle falls short of achieving the desired level of sanitation because it is not feasible to clean restroom door handles after each use with traditional cleaning methods.
The use of ultra-violet light to sanitize objects is known as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,922 to Moulthrop which discloses a sterilizer for bathroom articles such as toothbrushes, dentures, combs and hairbrushes. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,428 to Dressel, Jr., et al. relates to an ultraviolet light sterilizing apparatus for drinking glasses. U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,735 to Wahl discloses a sterilizing attachment for telephones which makes use of an ultra-violet light bulb to kill bacteria deposited on public telephones. Even though the use of ultra-violet light for sanitizing objects is known and the problem of maintaining an acceptable level of sanitation on surfaces of restroom door handles is a long standing problem, none of the prior art patents have addressed the problem solved by this invention or suggested the unique solution disclosed herein.
It is a primary object of the invention to provide a continuously operated sanitized apparatus for portions of door handles contacted by human hands.
Another object is to provide a handle structure for use as either a push-plate or a pull handle which is sanitized by ultra-violet light impinging upon the surfaces of the handle touched by hands.
The continuously operated, self-sterilizing door handle of the present invention is a simple and unique apparatus for maintaining pushing and gripping surfaces in a sanitary condition.